Membership! We hear about membership often, and this month is Rotary membership month.
What does it mean? To me, it does not mean a number. To me it is personal – it is being with a group of people that I like to be with. People who share the same values; but, may be entirely different in what political party they belong to, what their religion is, what they look like, how much money they have– to me, it is their heart. Together we serve others in our community and around the globe, with integrity, truth, and respect.
How great it is to be with people with hearts like this – to laugh together, cry together, seek ways together to meet needs of others with whatever gifts and talents we have. It is amazing to see suddenly how much it satisfies our own needs. That is why I am a Rotary member.
As I virtually attend club and cluster meetings – I see everyone doing just that, even though we are living through what some call “a seismic shift” in how we are living and functioning because of the Covid 19 pandemic. Clubs and members are still doing what we in Rotary have long done – all because of who we are and the core values we all share.
The people serving as your district officers and chairs are also seeking opportunities to solve any problems of clubs dealing with change due to the pandemic. Joining with two other districts in northern Ohio, for the third year in a row, a virtual Tri-District Membership Workshop will be held on two dates, Tuesday, September 15 and Wednesday, September 23 from 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Registration is on the District Website – below the newsletter. You can sign up for one or both of the virtual workshops, which will focus on keeping members engaged and clubs vital, Rotary work and service, sharing joy, and what to do next to keep the momentum.
If you see opportunities in your club or community for others to join together or with you, contact Peter Tuttle, District Membership chair, and PDG Jim McKee, District Club Extension chair and past Membership chair.
Many of the clubs are sharing what they are doing as you will see as you scroll through the newsletter. It is impressive to see that Rotarians are honoring first responders, feeding schools and people in their communities, providing dictionaries, working at and supplying food banks, starting a pollinator garden, working with other community organizations such as the Urban League and Social Service Agencies, other districts efforts around the globe to assist with needs caused by the pandemic.
If your Club subscribes to ClubRunner create an event within ClubRunner and mark the event to be shown on the District website. Your events will then appear within the Club Calendar on both, the District Bulletin and District home page.
Why It’s Worth Your Time! How It’s Different from Other Training!
This will be a unique opportunity to:
network online with other Rotarians;
get a quick, 20 minute overview of four key Rotary initiatives;
take a deeper, 60 minute dive into one of six specific areas of interest;
get a quick, 15 minute update on Rotary’s progress toward global Polio eradication;
hear a humorous and motivational message about Rotaract;
get new ideas on building your club’s membership;
hear from the Rotary International President-Elect Shekhar Mehta or Foundation Trustee Ian Risely;
get tips on leading your Rotary or work team through a crisis;
support our Zone service projects
and more, all without having to pay for registration, meals, travel or lodging!
The 2020 Virtual Summit is what we used to call our “Zone Institute”. It is designed to let Rotarians share information, build connections, and exchange ideas about Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation.
Our 2020 Virtual Summit will start at 8:00 a.m. (Central Standard Time) on Saturday, October 10 th and will wrap up at 3:30 p.m. when the last breakout sessions conclude. The entire event is online, so you’ll incur no travel, lodging, or food costs.
In the morning, we’ll get updates on our final push to end Polio, timely thoughts on diversity, an energetic pitch on “Do Goodery”, and learn how to be better leaders in times of crisis and disaster. For first-timers, there will be quick overviews of Rotary’s Membership, Public Image, and Rotary Foundation initiatives.
Afternoon breakouts chosen at registration, will engage you with in-depth discussions about our new Area of Focus, Supporting the Environment, Grant ideas for your club or district, engaging younger members, continuity in planning from year-to-year, public speaking, and more.
Visiting our House of Friendship will allow you to dive deeper into a variety of Rotary experiences, shop our vendors and network with old and new friends.
There is no registration fee, so be sure to invite others in your club and district to join you in attending. If you can do so safely, you and others may want to get together in one place to watch on a big-screen TV, where you can also enjoy each other’s company. We look forward to seeing you virtually on October 10th.
Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history.
Jones will officially become president-nominee on 1 October if no other candidates challenge her.
Jones says she sees Rotary’s Action Plan as a catalyst for increasing Rotary’s impact.
“As we reflect upon our new strategic priorities, we could have never envisioned that our ability to adapt would become our North Star during what is inarguably the most profound time in recent history,” Jones said in her vision statement. “Silver linings rise out of the most challenging circumstances. Using metric-driven goals, I will harness this historic landscape to innovate, educate, and communicate opportunities that reflect today’s reality.”
As the first woman to be nominated to be president, Jones understands how important it is to follow through on Rotary’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Statement. “I believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion … begins at the top and for us to realize growth in female membership and members under the age of forty — these demographics need to see their own reflection in leadership,” Jones said. “I will champion double-digit growth in both categories while never losing sight of our entire family.”
Jones is founder and president of Media Street Productions Inc., an award-winning media company in Windsor. She was chair of the board of governors of the University of Windsor and chair of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce. She has been recognized for her service with the YMCA Peace Medallion, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and Wayne State University’s Peacemaker of the Year Award, a first for a Canadian. Jones holds a Doctor of Laws (LL.D.).
A current Rotary Foundation trustee, Jones has been a Rotary member since 1997 and has served Rotary as RI vice president, director, training leader, committee chair, moderator, and district governor. She played a lead role in Rotary’s rebranding effort by serving as chair of the Strengthening Rotary’s Advisory Group. She is the co-chair of the End Polio Now Countdown to History Campaign Committee, which aims to raise $150 million for polio eradication efforts.
Jones recently led the successful #RotaryResponds telethon, which raised critical funds for COVID-19 relief and was viewed by more than 65,000. Jones has also received Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service. She and her husband, Nick Krayacich, are members of The Rotary Foundation’s Arch Klumph Society, Paul Harris Society, and the Bequest Society.
The members of the Nominating Committee for the 2022-23 President of Rotary International are: Robert L. Hall, Dunwoody, Metro Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Bradford R. Howard Oakland Uptown, California, USA; Per Høyen, Aarup, Gelsted, Denmark; Peter Iblher, Nürnberg-Reichswald, Zirndorf, Germany; Ashok Mahajan, Mulund, Mah., India; Sam Okudzeto, Accra, Accra, Ghana; Eduardo San Martín Carreño, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Takeshi Matsumiya, Chigasaki-Shonan, Chigasaki Kanagawa, Japan; Michael K. McGovern (secretary), Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA; José Alfredo Pretoni, São Paulo-Sul, São Paulo, Brazil; Saowalak Rattanavich, Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand; Hendreen Dean Rohrs, Langley Central, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada; Kenneth M. Schuppert, Jr (chair)., Decatur, Alabama, USA; Ravindra P. Sehgal, Belur, West Bengal, India; Noel Trevaskis, Merimbula, Tura Beach, Australia; Giuseppe Viale, Genova, Genova, Italy; and Chang-Gon Yim, Daegu-West, Daegu, Korea.
Downtown Mantua Revitalization Corporation and the Rotary Club of Mantua
Pollinators (Bees, Butterflies, Birds, Bats, Beetles, and Moths) are needed for the reproduction of 90% of flowering plants and one third of human food crops. We all depend on these industrious pollinators to provide us with the wide range of foods we eat.
Unfortunately, the numbers of both native pollinators and domesticated bee populations are declining. They are threatened by habitat loss, disease, and the excessive and inappropriate use of pesticides.
Downtown Mantua Revitalization Corporation and the Rotary Club of Mantua contracted with Alexia Paul’s Re-Ecology LTD to design and install this initial phase of a pollinator garden in Mantua near the bridge over the Cuyahoga River along the Headwaters Trail. Alexia grew up in Hiram and her company specializes in landscape architecture and ecological stewardship.
There are 22 species of native plants in this garden that will take two or three years to be fully established. Please be patient and watch for change as the plants take hold and pollinators begin to arrive. When in full display this garden will serve the pollinators well and will be an attractive addition to our landscape.
Beautiful sunshine beamed down on Sunday, August 30, as the members of recently commissioned Rotary E-ClubNEO completed their first service project. The members gathered at the Rotary Camp for Children with Special Needs on scenic Rex Lake in Summit County. With masks on and plenty of room to social-distance in the spacious picnic pavilion at the Camp, the E-Club members set about packing shoeboxes for the "Children of the Dump" in Chinandega, Nicaragua.
The eight members of the club loaded 15 boxes with clothing, footwear, bath and hygiene supplies, along with school supplies plus some toys and games. It took some creative packing skills and a lot of coaching from some members who have packed the shoeboxes before, but everything fit and is now on its way to the new owners.
Once the boxes were finished, everyone broke out their picnic lunches and the group had a chance to chat, enjoy the lakefront scenery, talk Rotary, kick around ideas for the next service project and just get to know each other. For some of the members, this was the first time they had met in person! Another great day to be a Rotarian!!
If you, or anyone you know is interested in joining Rotary E-ClubNEO please email us at RotaryEClub6630@gmail.com.
John Shulan recently spoke at the Medina Sunrise Club.
The heavens are coming into focus with the new Rotary Observatory at the Bath Nature Preserve.
Astronomy aficionado and Bath resident John Shulan took up the Rotary Club of Fairlawn’s challenge to build an observatory with confidence. The president and co-founder of the Summit County Astronomy Club met it with a lot of help from friends. Shulan says the Summit County Astronomy Club’s more than 370 meetup.com members with a $1,500 annual expense budget have been generous in their memberships, making them some of many to help bring the project to fruition. The observatory is located at the Bath Nature Preserve in Bath Township, promising to bring the celestial world into focus for community residents and visitors.
"It is a beautiful Universe," exclaimed John. Our very own Summit County Astronomy Club is a 501(C)3 organization to create curiosity about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math through exploration of the Universe. Star-gazing with the Rotary Observatory at Bath Nature Preserve on announced nights and Solar observing at various locations.
The Rotary Club of Northampton / Cuyahoga Valley is giving back to the community with Red Cross blood drive
The Rotary Club of Northampton / Cuyahoga Valley will host a community blood drive with the American Red Cross on November 3, 2020 (Election Day) from 12 Noon to 6:00 PM at the Woodridge Middle School on Quick Rd. in Cuyahoga Falls.
“Hosting a blood drive coincides with Rotary’s core values of giving back to the community,” said Ray Krusinski, Blood Drive Chair. “With a simple blood donation, we have the ability to help save the life of someone who could be a coworker, loved one or neighbor.”
Blood is routinely transfused to patients with cancer and other diseases, premature babies, organ transplant recipients and trauma victims, according to the Red Cross. The current Corona Virus pandemic has increased the need for blood donations.
“The short amount of time it takes to donate can mean a lifetime to a patient with a serious medical condition. We urge eligible donors to join us in the selfless act of giving blood.”
Donors of all blood types are needed, especially those with types O negative, B negative and A negative. According to the Red Cross, type O negative is the universal blood type that can be safely transfused to anyone, and is often used to treat trauma patients.
Information to make an appointment to donate will be available next month. Please consider donating. Or, better yet, get your Rotary Club to sponsor a Blood Drive.
Rotary’s 2020 Awards go to SAGE Community and Retirepreneur founders of services for Seniors.
In 2015, the Rotary Club of Hudson established the Jimmy Sutphin Award to recognize a deserving Rotarian or Hudson Community leader who most closely reflects dedication to the “Service Above Self” Rotary standard.
The initial recipient was Jimmy “Inky” Sutphin, a friend and colleague of both the Rotary Club of Hudson and the Hudson Community. Jimmy was universally loved by local citizens who benefited by his communication skills and his empathy for all he encountered.
The Sutphin Award once again recognizes a local leader who has made a difference in so many lives in our community.
The criteria for consideration of an individual for the award include:
✔ Is actively involved in the Hudson community(not necessarily a resident).
✔ Exhibits the general objectives of Rotary in his/her personal and business life.
✔ Exhibits the ideals of the 4-way test in his/her personal and business life.
✔ Demonstrates leadership qualities.
✔ Makes a significant impact on the overall community.
✔ Demonstrates creativity and initiative.
✔ Demonstrates responsibility and dependability.
✔ Doesn’t have to be well known, but could be an “unsung hero” doing good deeds throughout the community.
The 2020 recipient of the Jimmy Sutphin award is Iris Whittington Gold, founder of Hudson’s SAGE Community a senior outreach program dedicated to lifelong learning. SAGE stands for stimulation, adventure, growth and education for like minded intellectual seniors. It is built on the premise that seniors “need more as we stay older longer”. The program grew out of an initiative by Cuyahoga Community College where Iris started its first Senior Adult Education program employing college students, advisers and educators.
After a period of 12 years living in Savannah, Ga., Iris returned to Ohio settling in Hudson and reuniting with Tri-C to develop an Encore Campus Hudson Lifelong Learning Program. Three years later, the program became a non-profit organization changing its name to SAGE Community. Iris led this evolving program for 13 years and loved being involved with Hudson seniors. Her SAGE friends describe her as an inspirational shepherd with the “disposition of a warm puppy”.
We are fortunate to have such a qualified and dedicated leader in our community.
The Rotary Club of Hudson was additionally pleased to bestow its annual Rotarian of the Year award on Club member Donna Kastner, who has also dedicated her recent years to local seniors by launching the Retirepreneur, offering guidance to forward thinking executives for establishing new income generating professions in retirement.
Donna was recognized by Rotary for leading the Club’s transition into the stay-at-home Covid-19 period by establishing ZOOM meetings and educating its 55 members in the subtleties of on-line protocols. With Donna’s hands-on assistance, the Club continues to feature weekly community speakers and to conduct the Club’s community service projects. Donna leads the Rotary flock with kindness, patience and and a determination to bring all into the cyber communication age. It has been a great success!
The Rotary Club of Hudson was additionally pleased to bestow its annual Rotarian of the Year award on Club member Donna Kastner, who has also dedicated her recent years to local seniors by launching the Retirepreneur, offering guidance to forward thinking executives for establishing new income generating professions in retirement. See www.Retirepreneur.com for networking and upcoming conferences.
Kastner was recognized by Rotary for leading the Club’s transition into the stay-at-home COVID-19 period by establishing Zoom meetings and educating its 55 members in the subtleties of on-line protocols. With Donna’s hands-on assistance, the club continues to feature weekly community speakers and to conduct the club’s community service projects. Kastner leads the Rotary flock with kindness, patience and and a determination to bring all into the cyber communication age. It has been a great success.
On July 25th, 2020 the Rotary Club of Kent held an online event that was created and produced by club members to remain socially active while being physically distanced. The event was a variety show complete with musical features, live skits, and pre-recorded segments intending to entertain. Keeping in line with putting service above self, multiple components of the event were designed to raise money for the club’s foundation account which in turn provides it right back to the community by way of accessible grants. A special part of the program targeted a collection for Kent Social Services, a community organization serving meals to those in the community who are in need. Kent Social Services, like many non-profit public resources, has been challenged significantly as typically reliable volunteers are understandably unavailable through the pandemic.
More than 60 Rotarians and friends participated, and over $11,000 was raised in this 90-minute extravaganza. Co-hosts Alyssa Mazey and Todd Kamenash worked with a planning committee to develop content and incorporate a positive spirit sorely needed in our current times.
Pictured is a before & after of co-host Todd Kamenash, who agreed to have is full and luscious head of hair shaved if the participants raised $1,000 for Kent Social Services. As you can see, the goal was met and Charlie Kamenash (Todd’s son) did the honors!
PAUL HARRIS FELLOW RECIPIENTS Rotary started with the vision of one man — Paul Harris
story by Lynda Farkas
After setting up his law practice in Chicago, Harris gathered several business associates to discuss the idea of forming an organization for local professionals. He envisioned a place where professionals of diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships.
On 23 February 1905, Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram Shorey gathered at Loehr’s office in Room 711 of the Unity Building in downtown Chicago. This was the first Rotary club meeting.
“I was sure that there must be many other young men who had come from farms and small villages to establish themselves in Chicago ... Why not bring them together? If others were longing for fellowship as I was, something would come of it.”
In February 1907, Harris was elected the third president of the Rotary Club of Chicago, a position he held until the fall of 1908. Toward the end of his club presidency, Harris worked to expand Rotary beyond Chicago. Some club members resisted, not wanting to take on the additional financial burden. But Harris persisted and by 1910 Rotary had expanded to several other major U.S. cities.
Harris died on 27 January 1947 in Chicago at age 78 after a prolonged illness. His death prompted an outpouring of contributions from around the world and his name continues to evoke the passion and support of Rotarians and friends of Rotary.
Paul Harris Fellows: Continuing the legacy of our founder, the Paul Harris Fellow program recognizes individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
The honor was established in 1957 to show appreciation for contributions that support our Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant.
Paul Harris Society: The Paul Harris Society recognizes Rotary members and friends of The Rotary Foundation who elect to contribute $1,000 or more each year to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund, or approved global grants.
The purpose of the Paul Harris Society is to honor and thank individuals for their generous, ongoing support of The Rotary Foundation.
Our Akron Rotary club honors new members of the Paul Harris Society by presenting them with a certificate and chevron at a club luncheon. Due to Covid-19 our weekly Rotary luncheons were transformed into Zoom meetings and we have not been able to celebrate our members’ donations to the International Rotary Foundation.
August 5th and 6th Akron Rotary club VP Lynda Farkas with the help of PDG Jack Harig diligently delivered new Paul Harris Fellow pins and yummy Rotary cookies to the following Akron club donors.
If you have questions and/or would like to become a member of the Paul Harris Society, please contact VP Lynda Farkas, 330.819.3739 , lfarkas2@neo.rr.com
Congratulations to . . .
Sandy Naragon – PHF +5
Cheryl Warren – PHF +4
John Reyes – PHF + 7
(John was out climbing rocks!)
Dr. Rob McGregor – PHF +2
Dr. Doug Hausknecht – PHF +3
Nathanael Billow – PHF +1
Thank you to all of our Rotarians who volunteered at The Akron Urban League to assist with the distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for those in need in our community.
story by Julie Brandle
AKRON ROTARY FOUNDATION HELPS OTHER CLUBS
story by Julie Brandle
With the cancellation of all Rotary International Student Exchanges, our foundation has funds that will go unused for these programs. These funds have now been designated for emergency funds to assist Rotary clubs in other countries with unexpected expenses as a result of COVID. Rotary clubs around the world are struggling as members are losing jobs and the need for Rotary services is greater in their communities. What better way to support fellow Rotarians during this time than to support these struggling clubs. Thank you Claudine Schooley, Brian Chima, and Susan Colville-Hall for the idea. Over 1/3 of our club supports work internationally. The Board approved a $500 grant each to three clubs in Honduras, Columbia and Equador. With these funds we can help ease the burden of fellow Rotarians in Central and South Americas.
“Our foundation board recognizes there are people struggling around the globe as a result of COVID,” remarked James Redmond, Foundation Board President and Rotary Club of Akron Member. “To be able to send some love from Akron is a remarkable idea, and we were all too happy to do it.”
There are still limited funds that remain. Akron Rotarians - If you have an International club in need you would like to recommend, please contact Julie Brandle, Rotary Club of Akron Past President and Foundation Board Communications Chair at 330.858.6672 or jbrandle@metisconstruction.com.
At the beginning of her exchange, her parents had planned to join her in the US following her HS graduation and travel in the states before all returning back to Brazil. Because of COVID-19, the family's plans to travel here were cancelled. Starting in March, the family went back and forth as to whether it was necessary to bring Giulia home immediately or "wait and see". She ended up finishing her virtual learning and graduating here in the US. Then, starting in early June, her family decided to book a ticket to bring Giulia home. After many cancelled flights, she made it out of the US on July 2, 2020
The picture was taken upon arrival back in Brazil--as her parents greeted her at the airport.
Giulia Cintra Fernandes Giampietro (pictured right) and herAdriana Maria Cintra Fernandes Giampietro (pictured left).
The Rotary Club of Brunswick and the Residents of the Cities of Brunswick and Brunswick Hills showed their appreciation and support of our First Responders through our drive-by at Brunswick City Hall on Sunday, August 23, 2020, next to the Police Station.
We were pleased to have Ohio State Senator Larry Obhof, Ohio House of Representative Steve Hambley, Brunswick City Manager Carl DeForest and Brunswick Hills Trustee Mike Esber will be in attendance. The Medina Gazette dent a reporter and we appeared on the Channel 5 News!
Past District Governor Jack Young works to attach one of the two Rotary Club of Brunswick Inflatables (available for purchase through TRC Brunswick!) to the beautiful trucks provided by Dave Tenny.
Don and Terry Kammer pose with their signs of support.
TRC Brunswick President Mike Sheppard poses with Senator Larry Obhof, President of the Ohio Senate.
City Manager and TRC Brunswick Vice President Carl DeForest.
The Cleveland Rotary Club has always gone to the Cleveland Food Bank the 2nd Tuesday of the month & have done so for years. Paul Qua, Cleveland Rotary, is the ringleader. Due to the pandemic & new RI rules, we can no longer say this is a “Rotary” function, but we welcome Rotarians from all clubs to join us. People can contact Paul for more information. pqua@classicautocampus.com . It was a great August evening volunteering at the Cleveland Food Bank .
Photo L-R: Lynda Farkas, Akron Rotary, Julie Brouhard, Cleveland Rotary, Jessica Haines, Cleveland Rotary, Bob Ault, Heights of Greater Cleveland Rotary Club and Julie West, Cleveland Rotary .
Founded in 1924, Toastmasters International has a lot in common with Rotary International, said Alicia Smith-Kirk, the newly elected director of Toastmasters District 10, which encompasses northeast Ohio. In many ways, she is the equivalent of the District 6630 governor.
Smith-Kirk told Berea Rotarians on Aug. 4 via Zoom that, like Rotary, Toastmasters is global with similar objectives. It is diverse and inclusive with the education component a priority. “Leadership in the community is dominant,” she said.
The main focus of Toastmasters is public speaking and making members comfortable with composing and delivering a variety of talks. Speeches are evaluated. “We have um and er counters,” Smith-Kirk said.
Rotary and Toastmasters announced last year a new collaboration with Toastmasters adding to the Rotary leadership training partnership. The two groups have put together a series of eight courses to improve public speaking and leadership skills. The courses can be found on the RI web site.
Smith-Kirk, who used to be a dancer at the Cotton Club in Harlem, said she became involved in Toastmasters in 2012. “I love words. I love listening to people speak. I wanted to get better, to get my message across,” she said. “I stayed in the club because of the leadership opportunities. You can grow and learn.”
Smith -Kirk, who lives in Berea, is a member of Westlake Toastmasters. It meets 12:15-1:15 p.m. on Wednesdays – now via Zoom. The district is in the process of forming a Berea Toastmasters Club.
Smith-Kirk invited Rotarians to visit a Toastmasters meeting and Marc West invited her to speak to Rotaractors at BW. Young people tend to speak very rapidly and older folks often have a hard time understanding what they are saying. Smith-Kirk said that may be because of social media. “They are used to posting and learning quickly,” she said. For teens and young adults, verbal communication is not a priority.
For more information, visit www.district10.org, www.toastmasters.org or contact Smith-Kirk at districtdirector@district10.org or 216-219-9619.
Presents
Lou Groza Charity Golf Outing
Thursday, Sept. 3
Bunker Hill Golf Course
3060 Pearl Road, Medina
Shotgun start 9 a.m.
18 holes of golf, lunch at the turn, beverages & snacks
All proceeds benefit Scholarships for Berea-Midpark High School students, Dictionary Project for 4th graders, Shred Fest & Electronics Roundup, Food Pantries & other community projects.
Fellow Rotarians, it's that time again! Help Akron Rotary Camp earn $ to send kids to Camp! Save your ACME receipts from August 6 to December 26 to earn some Community Cash Back on ACME Fresh Market Store Brands. Receipts can be mailed or dropped off to Akron Rotary Camp, 4460 Rex Lake Drive, Akron, Ohio 44319. As always, thank you for your support!
Regards,
Mella Castner Director of Development Akron Rotary Camp 4460 Rex Lake Drive Akron, OH 44319 330.644.4512 ext. 3206 330.322.7206 www.rotarycamp.org
Brunswick area volunteer, Jack Young, has been recognized by the US Presidential Administration and humanitarian organization, ShelterBox USA, with the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his efforts in 2019 to provide emergency shelter and supplies to people who have lost their homes to natural disaster or fled because of civil conflict.
With help from Young’s efforts of raising awareness and funds for ShelterBox, the organization provided shelter and life-saving supplies to more than 145,000 people in 11 countries, including Paraguay after severe flooding, Malawi after Cylone Idai, Syria to support families affected by conflict, and many others. “The lifesaving work of ShelterBox is only possible because of our inspiring volunteers like Jack Young, whose service in their communities is ensuring families made homeless by disaster and conflict situations have access to essential shelter and supplies.” said Kerri Murray, President of ShelterBox USA. “This distinction truly sets him apart as someone committed to serving others and making the world a better place.”
ShelterBox provides humanitarian aid in the form of family-sized tents and essential tools to start repairing and rebuilding homes. Additionally, the organization’s kits and boxes contain items that help transform shelter into a home, like cooking sets, solar lights, blankets, water filtration, and mosquito nets. More than shelter, these items enable families to recovery following disaster, providing a way to keep communities and families together and allowing them the space to focus on the future.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is a special recognition presented on behalf of President Donald Trump. The award is part of a national recognition program created in 2003 through the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation for individuals of all ages who contribute a significant amount of time to volunteer activities.
Completing your club administration tasks just became much easier. The My Rotary site is now faster and easier to navigate. It has enhanced search functions and streamline workflows. Plus, it’s accessible on all mobile devices.
Ready to begin using the updated My Rotary? Get started here:
Create a My Rotary account (if you don’t already have one). To access the new site, you’ll need to sign in to your My Rotary account.
Update your club profile. With the new My Rotary, you can add when your club meets, how often, where, and even whether the meeting is in person or virtual. You can also add club officers, contact information, and the meeting language.
Create your own profile (and encourage your members to do the same). Add your personal, club, and contact information, and then adjust your privacy settings to indicate what information you want to share and with whom.
Download resources. Go to the My Rotary: Club Administration course in Rotary’s Learning Center to download how-to guides that will help you use the new My Rotary.
Try the search function. Use the enhanced club and member search to find a club to visit or to connect with someone you met at a Rotary International Convention or district assembly.
"Feeding Medina County's mission has grown from supporting 15 to 32 schools," stated Executive Director Sandy Hinkle.
When we learned that our Wednesday morning work session which packs meals for children was in desperate need of volunteers, the call went out overnight. St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church & School responded with whole families arriving just in time to complete the work of packing meals to feed so many children in Medina County who are food insecure.
Along with our wonderful helpers from St. Francis Xavier, we were joined this morning by Air Force Tech Sergeant Cody Hoffman, US Military Chaplain Dr. Reid Miller, retired Buckeye Schools Superintendent Kent Morgan and his daughter, the Medina Sunrise Rotary, and our Feeding Medina County & Medina County School District volunteers.
Thank you all for your community support of Feeding Medina County!
FEEDING MEDINA COUNTY - A COMMUNITY MISSION OF SERVICE
When Staff Sergeant Jeff Cain, of Medina's Ohio Army National Guard, reached out to the community for help with this morning's Feeding Medina County Free Food Distribution at the Medina County Fairgrounds, the response was truly inspiring.
Jennifer Webb, the Director of Ministry and Communications at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, efficiently mobilized parishioners, her husband Craig, 20 players on the Medina High School Basketball Team and their coaches.
"It was wonderful to have so many volunteers come out to help," said Mrs. Webb. "We were especially grateful to the Medina High School Boys Basketball Team and their coaches for all their friendly help and teamwork at the Fairgrounds with the Feeding Medina County food distribution.This is our hometown and we are proud of it. Thank you Medina!"
PHOTOS PROVIDED:
Jennifer Webb, Director of Ministry & Communications
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Rotary Service and Engagement
August, 2020
Connect.Partner.Serve
Rotary Opens Opportunities
As RI President Holger Knaack declared at the Rotary International Assembly earlier this year, Rotary isn’t just a club for people to join, but rather an invitation to endless opportunities. Rotary Opens Opportunities — everything we do opens another opportunity for someone, somewhere, said Knaack. Rotary opens pathways for members to improve their lives and the lives of those they help through service projects. Rotary opens leadership opportunities and gives members the chance to travel the world to put their service ideas into action and make lifelong connections.
Knaack continues to encourage Rotary to be open to new approaches and embrace change. In 2020-21, he recommends that every club have at least one strategic planning meeting. At that meeting, members should use Rotary’s Action Plan to guide their discussions, asking themselves what they want their club to be like in five years and how they can bring more value to their members.
The 2020-21 Rotary Citation will recognize clubs’ accomplishments that are related to Rotary’s strategic priorities and make a positive difference in their communities. Encourage your clubs to work toward the citation’s goals.
Membership and New Club Development Month
August is Membership and New Club Development Month, a time to recognize our members and the amazing work they do in their communities. In 2020, Rotarians around the world are finding ways to open opportunities, showing their incredible commitment to making the world a safer and better place. Read their stories.
Membership Month is also a time to consider how people can engage with Rotary. Learn about how you can grow membership through service, develop leaders, find new opportunities to network, and build a community within Rotary’s global family.
2020 Rotary Virtual Convention breakout sessions
Rotary’s first-ever virtual convention attracted more than 60,000 registrants and 175,000 viewers during its weeklong program. The robust participation shows that Rotary members are finding ways to experience key parts of Rotary’s annual international convention, fellowship and fun, despite the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the cancellation of the in-person convention that had been planned for Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, this year.
Learn more about planning and implementing projects that make an impact. The recordings of several breakout sessions from the 2020 Rotary Virtual Convention are now available. You can also view the slide presentations and find other materials from these sessions in the 2020 Virtual Convention Breakout Presentations topic in the Learning Center.
Do you have an idea or project that you want to share with your Rotary family? Breakout sessions can inspire attendees, help them polish their leadership skills and give them new ideas for projects, fundraising, strengthening membership, and more!
Help us build a breakout program that celebrates Rotary’s diversity! We are seeking proposals in English, Korean, Japanese, or Chinese. Submit your proposal online by Wednesday, 30 September 2020.
Rotary’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) progress
The COVID-19 pandemic and anti-racism movements around the world are calling attention inequalities and the need for social justice. It’s essential that Rotary be inclusive of all cultures, experiences, and identities. Watch the breakout session Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Rotary: How Are We Doing? In it, you’ll hear from Rotarians at the forefront of change, learn about Rotary’s DEI progress, and be equipped with the tools to help create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization. Afterward, explore Rotary’s DEI resources for clubs and programs.
Supporting the environment becomes an area of focus
After a unanimous vote by The Rotary Foundation Trustees and the RI Board of Directors, Rotary has a new area of focus — supporting the environment. Rotary has long supported activities that sustain the environment, and in the past five years, we have allocated $18 million to such projects through global grants related to other areas of focus. Adding the environment as a distinct cause formalizes our longtime community-based efforts and will give Rotary members more ways to increase our global impact and expand our reach.
The Foundation is developing the eligibility criteria for grants in supporting the environment and will have more information in October. Global grant applications focused on the environment will be accepted starting 1 July 2021.
Learn more about how you can support the environment.
Virtual meeting backgrounds
Online meetings are now common for work, school, socializing, and, of course, Rotary club gatherings. Fortunately, we have more Rotary virtual backgrounds than ever including backgrounds for Rotary, Rotaract, End Polio Now, and the areas of focus. Find them by signing in to the Brand Center and choosing Materials, then CLUB RESOURCES.
The World Health Organization’s African region was officially certified free of wild poliovirus on 25 August. This milestone comes four years after Nigeria — the last polio-endemic country in Africa — recorded its final case of wild polio. It’s a significant step forward in the fight to eradicate polio and protect the world’s children from this paralyzing disease.
This incredible achievement is the result of a decades-long commitment by Rotary members, working with our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), African region leaders, and millions of dedicated health care workers and supporters. Read more.
Take action for World Polio Day
Get ready for World Polio Day on 24 October by promoting awareness, raising funds, and planning club events. This year, calling attention to our efforts to eradicate polio is as important as ever.
We’ve shown that we can defeat this devastating disease, as five out of six regions are now free of wild poliovirus — but the fight is not over. Wild polio still paralyzes children in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As long as polio exists anywhere, it remains a threat everywhere.
This World Polio Day, let’s take action to help end polio for good. Download the toolkit for resources to help you host a virtual event for your community, share information over social media, contact your local media, and more. Don’t forget to register your event on EndPolio.org. New this year: Clubs and members that register their events will receive early access to the downloadable World Polio Day program.
Rotary clubs in Canada are sharing their model for holding a successful online event for World Polio Day. Using local education and technology resources, community involvement, and compelling guest speakers, 10 clubs in District 7070, Ontario, Canada, began collaborating in 2018 to host a creative and meaningful livestream event each year. Get inspiration from their experience to plan and promote your club’s virtual outreach for World Polio Day.
Rotary members who are survivors of polio are talking about their experiences and the parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rotary member Shirley Griffin reflects on having polio as a childin an interview with AARP.org, and discusses her efforts with Rotary to raise funds and administer vaccines in the fight to end polio.
A media trip to India with Rotary for a National Immunization Day program inspired this article in Forbes that covers India’s efforts to mobilize country-wide vaccinations. The piece then explores the similarities and differences between polio and COVID-19, with interviews from polio survivor Ann Lee Hussey, Rotary member and past district governor, and Peter Salk, president of the Jonas Salk Legacy Foundation and infectious disease professor at the University of Pittsburgh. His father Dr. Jonas Salk developed one of the two polio vaccines.
Despite immense challenges, India was declared wild polio-free in 2014. In a column that appears on the India-based news platform The Quint, Rotary’s India National PolioPlus Committee Chair Deepak Kapur explains what it took to achieve that success in eradicating wild poliovirus, including mass vaccination campaigns organized by thousands of Rotary clubs across India. Kapur also emphasizes the need to remain dedicated to global polio eradication so that children stay protected from polio and other diseases.
Your donation goes further to eradicate polio
Rotary is committed to raising $50 million per year to end polio, with every dollar matched with two additional dollars from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Thanks to our generous members and donors, we reached our 2019-20 PolioPlus fundraising goal.
We need your continued help to keep raising $50 million annually. With every contribution multiplied, your donation goes even further to help us reach children in every part of the world with a polio vaccine as well as other life-saving vaccines and health care.
Thank you to Kathryn Craig, a member of our E-ClubNEO, for sharing this app she spotted on the Rotary International PR Forum.
Why would a Rotarian develop something that already exits on the RI website?
Shawn Berry is currently the President of his Club, North St. Paul Maplewood Oakdale.
Shawn found that he, like many others, struggled with the Rotary International People of Action editor. So he did what Rotarians do best - found a solution.
Shawn developed a simple and easytool to help you add the People of Action slogans to your photos and he maintained all the brand guidelines from RI in the process.
Before sharing it with all of you - I put it to the test . . . having used the editor in our Brand Center I wanted to see if it was really easier and efficient!
It is! It worked seamlessly on my iphone too - allowing me to quickly add a photo and slogan then post to Social Media.
But in all honesty -- you may want to just jump right onto the photo app and play with the options -- go to https://app.poaphotos.com/
- click on open photo
- select your photo and then click templates.
In templates you will see several groups you can use - for the People of Action slogans - click on "Rotary". Click on the one you want, you can move it to position it where you want it then hit apply - now you can change change the color (they offer the Rotary Brand colors). Save!
Sure, there are more tools as well - cropping, rounding corners and other bells and whistles - but start with the basics first.
I encourage you to try it out and embrace the People of Action slogans to make an impact on your photos and help keep our Rotary Brand front and center.
Here is a sample
- I took the liberty of using the photo submitted for this month's news letter from the Wadsworth Club ... here are the steps I took:
selected the photo from my photos
clicked on the template group I waned and selected Together, We Transform
clicked on apply
moved the text to position it on the photo and enlarged it slightly
clicked on apply
color options came up and I selected a color for the text (I did a couple to show how the color you select for the text can make an impact)
2. Remember to include your name, the club name, and send pictures and flyers as attachments. Include the names of those in the photos too!
3. Be certain that you have permission to use the photos, and for anyone who is under the age of 18, please confirm that you have a parent/guardian release on file.
Due to the electronic nature of the e-news, we cannot guarantee content will remain formatted as sent, but will do our best.
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Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history.
The 2020 recipient of the Jimmy Sutphin award is Iris Whittington Gold, founder of Hudson’s SAGE Community a senior outreach program dedicated to lifelong learning. SAGE stands for stimulation, adventure, growth and education for like minded intellectual seniors. It is built on the premise that seniors “need more as we stay older longer”. The program grew out of an initiative by Cuyahoga Community College where Iris started its first Senior Adult Education program employing college students, advisers and educators. 
